The ministry anointing of the apostle

38 Pages·1993·0.32 MB·English

by  John Eckhardt

Contents
Dedication
1 The Restoration of the Apostle
2 Apostolic Reformers
3 Spirit of Judgment
4 Spiritual Pioneers
5 Apostolic Authority
Dedication
T
o the memory of Pastor Timothy Longley who helped birth my ministry
and was always a dear and encouraging father to me.
John Eckhardt
Chapter 1
The Restoration of the Apostle
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps,
governments, diversities of tongues.
1 Corinthians 12:28
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few
chosen.
Matthew 20:16
A
postles have been set in the church by God, FIRST. The word first is the
Greek word proton meaning firstly in time, place, order or importance; before, at
the beginning, chiefly, first of all. This is God's order: first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers. I call this the law of first things. When God says first,
He means FIRST. When the church violates this order, we are violating the law
of first things.
When you break a law, you will suffer. Many local churches suffer because
they have not recognized God's order. A church out of order will not experience
the fullness of the anointing. The anointing flows through order. The beginning
of the Church started with Apostles. The beginning of the reformation started
with Apostles. The beginning of many denominations started with Apostles.
When something begins in the right order, it has a better chance of success.
It is amazing how many churches don't recognize this order, although it is
plainly stated in the Word of God. It is so simple. First means first, second
means second, third means third. It is as easy as one, two, three. Another
definition of first is foremost. The word foremost means first in a series or
progression; of first rank or position. When the office of the Apostle is not
recognized as foremost, the Church will end up in serious trouble.
The 20th Century has been a century of divine destiny for the Body of Christ.
It has seen a great restoration of the offices and anointing that God has set in the
Church. The order of this restoration has been the first restored last, and the last
restored first.
The first thing restored to the Church in the beginning of the twentieth
century was diversities of tongues. This occurred with the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit at Azusa in Los Angeles, California. Helps and governments
followed with the establishing and structuring of many Pentecostal fellowships
to continue the move of the Holy Spirit.
The 1940s and 1950s saw a restoration of healing and miracles with the
evangelist. The restoration of the teacher came in the 1970s. This was followed
by a strong move of the prophetic office in the 1980s.
Now, we are seeing restoration of the office of Apostle as we come into the
21st Century. The first office set in the Church by God is the last to be restored
in its fullness.
The apostle Peter preached about the times of restitution, spoken of by the
prophets since the world began (Acts 3:21). There are seasons in the Spirit in
which the Lord magnifies certain offices and their anointings and restores them
to the Church. Although all of these anointings have been in operation since the
day of Pentecost to some degree, I am referring to the Office being restored in its
fullness.
There have always been men who have ministered under the mantle of the
Apostle throughout the history of the Church, but the Lord is restoring this office
to the Church in such a way that you will see many raised up in the last days to
minister as Apostles. The Lord puts honor upon the part of the Body that lacks (1
Corinthians 12:24). The Lord is honoring the office of the Apostle by putting His
glory upon it in this hour.
As we honor what God honors, we will receive the blessing and fullness of
what the Lord has reserved for this last day Church.
With the restoration of the office of the Apostle, there is coming a restoration
of apostolic doctrine, apostolic binding and loosing, apostolic revelation,
apostolic governments, and apostolic boldness. According to the prophet Haggai,
the glory of the latter house shall be greater than the glory of the former house.
The word apostle is from the Greek word apostolos meaning a delegate, an
ambassador of the gospel, officially a commissioner of Christ with miraculous
powers. Apostle means one that is sent.
And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power
against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and
all manner of disease.
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is
called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his
brother;
Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son
of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the
way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Matthew 10:1-5
Notice in verse one the twelve are called disciples, and in verse two they are
called apostles. Jesus was entrusting to them His power and authority in sending
them forth. An apostle is someone who has been given power against unclean
spirits and is sent forth with specific instructions to a certain group of people.
Apostles are forerunners. Jesus sent them into cities and areas where He,
Himself, would come (Luke 10:1).
They were official representatives of Him, given authority by Him to preach
the gospel, heal the sick, and cast out devils. Apostles are ambassadors. An
ambassador is an official delegate or representative of a foreign country. They
speak for and represent the nation from which they come. They have been given
official authority to act in this capacity.
This will give you some idea of the tremendous authority given to the twelve
disciples who were sent forth as apostles. Jesus was entrusting to them His
power and authority in sending them forth. They were representatives of Christ.
The twelve had an awesome responsibility to represent Him correctly as His
ambassadors.
The dictionary definition of an ambassador is "an official envoy, a diplomatic
agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government." A delegate is a
person acting for another. A person with delegated authority. The twelve were
sent forth as official delegates of Christ with delegated power and authority. The
twelve, as a group, really formed an apostolic delegation. This delegation had
specific instructions in what to do and what not to do. They had to follow these
instructions because they were not representing themselves, but Christ. A
delegate does not speak or represent himself but another.
A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is
health.
Proverbs 13:17
As an ambassador, the Apostle has to speak and represent the One who sent
him—faithfully. He will bring healing and deliverance with his message. He
does not speak his own message, but speaks the message of the One who sent
him. A faithful ambassador brings health. There is healing and deliverance in his
message.
The apostle Paul embodies this truth when he stated that his message did not
come from man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12). He
had to be faithful to the message of grace because he received it directly from
Jesus. This does not mean that apostles cannot be affected by the doctrines of
men. They can be affected by tradition like any other ministry gift.
However, apostles need to be faithful with the message committed to them by
the Lord, not man. They are sent by the Lord, not by man. This may cause them
to fall out of favor with men, but they must walk in the revelation that they are
ambassadors of Christ. The Lord is sending forth apostles that will be faithful to
the truth and not to the false teachings of men.
(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the
circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
Galatians 2:8
Another key to understanding apostleship is to know to whom the Apostle is
sent. Peter was sent to the Jews (circumcision), but Paul was sent to the Gentiles
(uncircumcision). Jesus told the twelve to go only to the lost sheep of Israel.
They were forbidden at that time to go to the Samaritans (Matthew 10:5).
Some apostles are sent to certain nations, some to certain regions, some to
certain cities, and some to local churches. There are different administrations of
the apostolic office. This does not mean that apostles cannot be used in certain
geographical areas, but they will be most effective in ministering to the people to
whom they are specifically sent.
For instance, Peter was used to open the door to the Gentiles in the house of
Cornelius (Acts 10), but his most effective ministry was among the Jews. I
believe that God sends apostles to every generation and to every nation and
group of people on the earth.
When the Apostle discerns the people he is sent to and ministers in the grace
given to those people, his ministry will be most effective. Every ministry gift is
sent by God.
Prophets and evangelists are also sent. But the name apostle, by its very
definition, means sent.
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart
out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and
Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Matthew 10:14-15
The people to whom the Apostle is sent need to also discern his message and
his mission. Jesus gave a stern warning to those who rejected apostolic ministry.
To reject the apostle is to reject Jesus, Himself, because the Apostle is an official
representative of Christ. Jesus warned of judgment to those cities that would not
receive apostles. The Body of Christ must discern the ministry of the Apostle
and receive from this anointing.
Apostles can bring healing and deliverance to entire nations, regions, cities
and local churches if they are received and honored. To reject them means to
reject the truth, revelation, healing and deliverance they bring.
Apostles can prophesy and minister prophetically. Apostles can evangelize.
Apostles can pastor. Apostles can teach. There are different administrations of
this office. Some apostles are more prophetic, some are more evangelistic, some
are more pastoral. Although there are different administrations of this office, it
does not mean the apostle can do it all.
Remember, the Lord has given five ministry gifts — and no one can perfect
the saints. If the apostles could do it all, the Lord would have just sent apostles,
but He sent prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers as well. Each gift has its
function, and each is necessary to perfect the saints.
Some have taught that the apostle is like some "SUPER" gift—better than all
the rest, and able to "DO IT ALL"! Although the office of the Apostle is a strong
gift, it has limitations. The apostle needs the other gifts, and the other gifts need
the apostle.
Apostolic Revelation
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote
afore in few words,
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of
Christ)
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now
revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Ephesians 3:3-6
There were mysteries that were hidden in God, that were revealed to apostles
and prophets by the Spirit. Apostolic and prophetic ministry is vital to the
Church if we are to be restored in the revelation that the early Church walked in.
Martin Luther brought forth a revelation of justification by faith to the church of
his day. We now walk in that revelation that was lost to most of the Church for
hundreds of years during the dark ages. Even though there was always a remnant
who walked in that revelation, it took the apostolic anointing to restore this truth
to the majority of the Church.
Alexander Dowie was used by the Lord to bring attention to the Church on
the subject of divine healing. His revelation on this subject was apostolic. The
anointing upon his life gave him the ability to impart this revelation to the
Church, in spite of intense persecution. The apostle has the ability to bring
revelation to the Church in areas where there has been spiritual blindness and
ignorance. Revelation is not readily received by many. It is often fought by
people in the Church who have no desire to change.
Different apostles have different administrations. The apostle Paul received
and ministered in the revelation of the Church consisting of both Jew and
Gentile. The apostle Peter received a revelation of Jesus Christ being the Son of
God. The apostle John ministered the revelation of the love of God.
Without the revelation that comes through the Apostle, the saints will not be
perfected. There are certain truths that the Church will not walk in without the
Apostle.
The Church is built upon revelation (Matthew 16:18). Revelation is
foundational, and so is apostolic and prophetic ministry. Apostles bring forth
revelation which becomes the foundation upon which the Church is built. The
gates of hell cannot prevail against the church that is built upon apostolic
foundations. It should not be surprising that devils hate the anointing of the
Apostle.
They desire to prevail against a spiritually weak church. Apostles bring
strength into the Church through revelation that gives the saints the ability to
overcome and defeat the powers of hell.
Chapter 2
Apostolic Reformers
Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear
my words.
Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on
the wheels.
And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter so
he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold,
as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
Jeremiah 18:2-6
I
n addition to being forerunners, apostles also minister with a reforming
anointing. They are often reformers. To form means to give a particular shape to;
to shape or mold into a certain state or after a particular model. The Lord desires
to form and shape His church after His own design. When the Church is not in
its proper form, He has to reform it even as a potter has to mold the clay. To
reform means to amend or improve by change of form, or removal of faults or
abuses.
The clay that was upon the wheels was "marred". Often the Church has been
marred by the hands of men who have tried to shape it according to their design,
instead of the design of the Lord. When men try to form the Church according to
religious tradition instead of the Word of God, the result is a marred vessel.
When the Church is not formed according to divine pattern, it must be reformed.
A part of the anointing of the Apostle is to bring reform. Apostles have the
ability to bring the Church back into its proper form. The Church was formed in
the book of Acts through the apostolic anointing. It has had to be reformed
throughout its history by apostolic anointing. It is still being reformed today
through apostolic anointing.
Recently, the Lord began to deal with me as well as other ministers about
Reformation. We did not know at the time that the message was apostolic. I
personally have done some studying on the Reformation of the 16th Century, but